A painters' term; the non-artistic meaning "tract of land with its distinguishing characteristics" is an extended sense from 1886. Similar formation in Old English landscipe "region," Old High German lantscaf, German Landschaft, Old Norse landskapr, Danish landskab "a region, district, province."

landscape (v.)

"to lay out lawns, gardens, etc., plant trees for the sake of beautification," by 1916, from landscape (n.) in its non-artistic sense. Earlier it was used in an artistic sense, "to represent in a landscape setting" (1660s). Related: Landscaped; landscaping.